Feed-off-arm sewing machine



April 30, 1935. W. MYERS FEED-OFFARM SEWING MACHINE 4, 1932 7 Sheets-Sheet l April 30, 1935. w. MYERS FEED-OFF-ARM SEWING MAVCHINE '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 4, 1932 gwumatoz April so, 1935. w, MYERS 1,999,978

FEED- OFF-ARM SEWING MACHINE Filed Aug. 4, 1932 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 April so, 1935. w. MYERS 1,999,978

FEED-OFF-ARM SEWING MACHINE Filed Aug. 4, 1932 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 April 3o, 1935'.

FEED- Filed Aug.v4, 1952 w. MYERS 1,999,978 oFF-ARM SEWING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Wafer @em/ April 30, 1935. "w, MYERS FEED-OFF-ARM SEWING MACHINE Filed Aug. 4, 1932 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 April 30, 1935. w. MYERS FEED-oFF-ARM SEWING MACHINE Filed Aug. 4, 1952 'TKSheets-Sheet 7 Patented Apr. 30, 1935 UNITED STATES FEED-OFF-ABM SEWING MACHINE Walter Myers, Bridgeport, Conn., assignor to The Singer Manufacturing Company, Elizabeth, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application August 4, 1932, Serial No. 627,409

Claims.

This invention relates to sewing machines and has for an object to provide a simplied and im- -proved feed-oif-arm sewing machine which is adapted to meet the requirements of high speed operation.

With the above and other objects in View, as will hereinafter appear, the invention comprises the devices, combinations, and arrangements of parts hereinafter set forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawings of a preferred embodiment of the invention, from which the several features of the invention and the advantages attained thereby will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

Fig. 1 is a front elevation, partly in section, of a feed-ofE-arm sewing machine embodying the invention. Fig. 2 -is a section on the line 2--2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the machine with the head at the free end of the gooseneck broken away to show the throat-plate and underlying parts in the free end of the Work-supporting arm. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the under side of the throat-plate. Fig. 5 is an end elevatio of the machine looking from the right in Figs. l and 3. Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the machine looking from the left in Figs. 1 and 3, with the work-supporting arm in longitudinal Vertical section. Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the mechanism within the work-supporting arm. Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8 8, Fig. rI. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the eccentric fulcrum pin for the feed-bar of the machine.

Fig. 10 is a rear elevation of the thread-cutter at the free end of the work-supporting arm. Figs. 11, 12 and 13 show details of certain elements of the universal joint connection between the loop-taker driving shaft sections in the worksupporting arm. Fig. 14 is a vertical section on the line I4-I4, Fig. 7. Fig. 15 is a section on the line Iii-I5, Fig. 6. Fig. 16 is a section on the line I6-I6, Fig. 6. Fig. 17 is a section on the line I'l-I "I, Fig. 14. Fig. 18 is a section on the line I 8-\I8, Fig. 14. Fig. 19 is a section on the line I9I9, Fig. 6.

Fig. 20 is a disassembled perspective view of one of the two rotary hooks of the machine with its bobbin-case. Fig. 21 is a perspective view of the bobbin-case of the other rotary hook. Fig. 22 is a disassembled perspective view of the two bobbin-case opener mechanisms of the machine. Fig. 23 is a perspective view of one of the two adjustable rotary hook supporting blocks of the machine. Fig. 24 is a perspective view of the gear screen associated with the supporting block of Fig. 23. Fig. 25 is a sectional view of one of the fastening devices by which the machine is secured to the power table upon which it is to be operated. Fig. 26 is a top-plan view oi the rotary hooks and bobbin-case openers at the period of a stitch-forming cycle when the right hand needleloop is being passed through the gap in the bobbin-case rotation-restraining device provided by the action of the right hand bobbin-case opener. Fig. 27 is a similar view at a later period in the cycle when the left hand needle-loop is being passed through the gap in the bobbin-case rotation-restraining device provided by the action of the left hand bobbin-case opener. Fig. 28 is a top-plan view of the right hand bobbin-case removed from its hook. Fig. 29 is a top plan view of the left hand bobbin-case removed from-its hook.

Fig. 30 is a side elevation of the bobbin-case shown in Fig. 29; Fig. 31 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale through one of the bobbin-case lubricant wells. Fig. 32 is a fragmentary plan view of one of the loop-taker carrier blocks, and Fig. 33 is a section on the line. 33-33, Fig. 32.

The machine illustrated as one embodiment of the invention comprises a frame having a bed including a forwardly extending arm I, Fig. 3, which carries a laterally extending hollow arm 2 which, in turn, .carries the rearwardly extending hollow work-supporting arm 3. The arms I, 2 and 3 are cast integral and are substantially coplanar or at the same level, thereby forming a .U -bed. In this specication forwardly means toward the operator and rearwardly means away from the operator; the operator being seated in front of the machine or at the point of view of Fig. 1.

Detachably'secured to the rearward portion of' the arm I by screws I', Fig. 5, is the standard I of the gooseneck 5 terminating in the head 6 which overhangs the free end of the work-supporting arm 3.

Journaled in ball-bearings 1 and 8, Fig. 1, in the gooseneck 5 is the main-shaft 9 to the righthand end of which projecting outside of the gooseneck standard 4 is fixed the clip-belt pulley Ill and driving belt pulley Il and associated balance-wheel I2. The ball-bearing 8 is seated in the enlarged head I3 at one end of the bushing I4 which is considerably larger than the shaft 9 and is formed at its other end with an inwardly extending oil-retaining flange I5. Oil may be supplied to the bushing I4 through the oil-hole I6. The ball-bearing 8 picks up oil from the supply in the bushing I4. The oil-sling I1 and undercut ball-retaining ring |9 prevent escape of oil to the pulley I8.

Fixed to the left-hand end of the main-shaft 9 is the crank-arm 20 carrying the hollow crankpin 2| embraced by the upper end of the link 22 the lower end of which embraces'the hollow lateral pin 23 xed to the reciprocatory needle-bar 24 carrying two needles 25 arranged abreast in the direction of seam-formation or lengthwise of the work-supporting arm 3. There is also mounted in the head 6 the usual presser-bar 26 carrying the presser-foot 21. A needle-thread take-up lever 28 is fulcrumed at 29 in the head 6 and includes the cylindrical arm 30 which isv embraced and actuated by the usual sleeve-headed pin 3|, Fig. 6, journaled in the crank-arm 20. The needle-bar 24 is journaled in the frame-bushing 32, Fig. 1, and is formed in its upper end with an axial hole 33 which is entered by the reduced lower end 34 of the guide-rod 35 xed at its upper end in the head 6. The guide-rod 35 is of tubular form and is filled with lubricant absorbing wicking 36. An oil-feed-duct 31 leads from the lower end of the wick 36 through the reduced lower end 34 of the guide-rod 35 to the hole 33 in the needle-bar 24 and lubricates the bearing surfaces between the needle-bar 24 and the guide-rod 35. The hollow pin 23 is in communication with the hole 33 in the needle-bar and receives oil from the needle-bar for lubrication of the lower end bearing of the link 22.

Mounted on and rotating with the main-shaft 9, within the gooseneck 5 is an oil-reservoir comprising a cylindrical casing 38 through which the shaft 9 passes. Packing glands 39 at the opposite ends of the casing 38 constitute oil-tight seals and hold the casing 38 against slippage upon .and relative to the shaft 9. The casing 38 has within it an oil cavity 40 surrounding the mainshaft 9, which cavity may be supplied with oil through an opening closed by the removable ller screw plug 4|. The main-shaft 9 has within it a longitudinal oil-duct 42 leading from a point within the reservoir casing 38 through the ball-bearing 1 to the needle-bar actuating crank 28. Oil enters the duct 42 through the lateral oil-duct 43 and works its way along the duct 42 from which it flows through the oil-duct 44 in the crank 20 into the hollow pin 2| from which the upper end bearing of the link 22 and the take-up actuating crank-pin 3| are lubricated through suitable oil-distributing ducts. These parts have heretofore been lubricated from the main-shaft sleeve-bearing adjacent the needle-bar actuating crank. The present expedient enables oil to be fed to the needle-barnd take-up crank-pins through an adjacent ball-bearing surrounding the main-shaft. vExcess oil from the crank-pins 2| and 3| collects in the oil-well 45 in the head 6 from which it is lifted by the wick 46 to the felt pad 41 which is engaged by the arm 38 of the 'vibratory take-up lever 28, and lubricates such arm.

Journaled within and lengthwise of the hollow laterally extending arm 2, in ball-bearings 48 and 49, is the shaft 50 on which is xed the clip-belt pulley 5| of the same size as the pulley I8. The two pulleys are connected in one-to-one timed .relation by the usual clip-belt 52, such as dis- 'closed in the patent to Steward, No. 667,830, of

Feb. 12, 1901. The ball-bearing 49 is seated in one end of the frame-bushing 53 which is substantially identical with the frame-bushing |4 Apreviously described.

Fixed to the shaft 56 are the bevel gears 54, 55, the latter carrying an adjustable feed-advancing eccentric 56. Fixed to the shaft 50 alongside the feed-advancing eccentric 56 is the feed-lift eccentric 51.

The work-supporting arm 3 is in the form of a trough the top of which is closed oil-tight by the gasket 58 and plate 58 having at its rearward end a centrally thickened portion 59, Fig. 6, to which and the end wall 68 of the work-supporting arm the throat-plate 6| is screwed.

The feeding mechanism comprises the usual feed-dog 62 mounted on the feed-bar 63 fulcrumed to rock and slide upon the pin 64 which is eccentric to its shank portion 65 rotatably adjustable in the fulcrum-block 66 rising from the bottom of the arm-trough 3. The feed-bar 63 is formed at its forward end with a vertical fork 61 embracing the split-block 68 on the feed-advance eccentric 56. Secured to the side of the feed-bar 63 by screws 69 is the bar 10 which is formed alongside the vertical fork 61 with a horizontal fork 1| embracing the split block 12, Fig. l, on the feed-lift eccentric 51. The present feeding mechanism is of simple and sturdy construction and is unique in its adaptation t0 a feed-off-arm sewing machine having coplanar laterally and rearwardly extending arms at right angles to one another, the shaft 50 being in the laterally extending arm 2 and the feed-bar 63 being in the work-supporting arm 3;

Cooperating with the needles 25 to form stitches are a pair of loop-takers in the form of vertical axis rotary-hooks, both of clockwise rotation and each having a cup-shaped hook body 13, Fig. 20, with a portion of its wall cut away to form a loop-seizing beak 14 and a needle-guard 15. Each hook-body 13 is formed within its rim with a bobbin-case race comprising a vertically cylindrical bobbin-case bearing wall 16, Fig. 31, below which is an inwardly extending bearing ledge 11 grooved at 18 adjacent the vertical bearing wall 16 to provide a raised annular horizontal bearing surface 19 spaced inwardly from the vertical bearing wall 16.

The left-hand bobbin-case 80, Figs. 29 and 30, has a bearing rib 8| journaled in the hook-race and is formed with a rotation-restraining notch 82 loosely embracing a rotation-restraining lug 83, Fig. 26, on the under side of the throat-plate 6|. The bobbin-case 88 is also formed in its loopcast-on side with a shoulder 84 engaged by the vibratory finger 85 of a bobbin-case opener device to open a passage for the upper limb of the needle-loop a, Fig. 27, between the lug 83 and a wall of the notch 82, as such needle-loop is being drawn up after having been cast about the bobbin-case 80. The bobbin-case 80 is retained in the raceway in the hook-body 13 by means of the ilat gib 86 which is screwed to the top of the rim of the hook-body and is formed adjacent the base of the loop-taking hook 14 with a loopcasting hook 81.

The right-hand bobbin-case 88 has a bearing rib 8| journaled in its hook-race and is formed with a rotation-restraining tongue 89 loosely received in a rotation-restraining notch 90 between two lugs 9|, 9| on the under side of the throatplate 6|. The bobbin-case 88 is formed on its loop-cast-o side with a shoulder 92 engaged by the vibratory nger 93 of a second bobbin-case opener mechanism timed to open a passage for the upper limb of the needle-loop b, Fig. 26, between the tongue 89 and the lug 9| as such loop is being cast over the bobbin-case 88. The bobbin-case 88 is retained in the raceway of its hookbody 13 by means of the fiat gib 86' which like the gib 86 is screwed to the top of its hook-body 13 and is formed adjacent the base of the looptaking hook 15 with a loop-casting hook 81'.

While the bobbin-case-opener fingers 85 and 83 are of the same conctruction, their timing is different. The opener 85 engages the bobbincase shoulder 84 at a point spaced about 90 past the loop-seizing position of the left-hand hook 15 and at a time when such hook has executed about three-quarters of its loop-casting rotation. The opener 83, however, engages the bobbin-case shoulder 82 at a point spaced about 270 past loop-seizing position of the right-hand hook 15 and at a time when the hook has executed about one-half of its loop-casting rotation. By virtue of this combination and relative arrangement of parts I am enabled to provide a lock-stitch feedoff-arm sewing machine with positively actuated bobbin-case-openers without lengthening the work-supporting armA beyond the loop-takers or widening or thickening such arm any more than is necessary to accommodate the loop-takers.

For lubrication of the bobbin-case raceways, the bearing ribs 8|, 8| thereof are made relatively wide vertically and are provided with segmental, closed bottomed, pockets or wells 84, 94', which are filled with felt or similar lubricantholding wicking. These pockets 84, 84 are formed entirely in the respective bobbin-case planes of the under bearing faces of the respective gibs 86, 86' and below the upper ends of y the respective bobbin-cases where they cannot be engaged by the sewing threads. These pockets 84, 84 have a segmental length and vertical depth sufficient to provide a relatively large oilholding capacity and will efficiently lubricate the respective hook-races for a considerable time without replenishment of lubricant. Lateral oilducts 85 at different levels, Fig. 30, and above the bottoms of the pockets 84 feed oil from the pockets to the raceway bearings. By having the ducts 85 at different levels the oil is applied simultaneously to different zones of the vertical bearing Walls and more evenly spread thereover. Each hook-body 13 has its vertical spindle 86 journaled in ball-bearings 81 seated in a respective loop-taker carrier or bearing-block 88 which is pivotally mounted at its forward end in the work-supporting arm 3 by means of -a pivot-screw 88. The ball-bearings 81 of each pair, Figs. 32 and 33, are seated against an annular ledge 91a projecting inwardly from a bushing 91b in an operture 91C in a respective one of the bearing-blocks 88. A set-screw 81c1 in each bearing-block 88 engages the outer side of the respective bushing 81b at the level of the inwardly projecting ledge 81B which stiftens the bushing and prevents deformation of the latter and consequent cramping of the ball-bearings under the pressure of the set-screw 81d. The rearward end of each bearing-block 88 is slotted at |00 transversely of the direction of length of the work-supporting arm to receive a respective holding screw |0|. The hooks 13 may be adjusted to suit different selected spacings of the needles 25 laterally of the direction of seam-formation, by shifting the bearing-blocks 88 about their respective pivot-points 88.

Each hook-spindle 86 has fixed to its lower end a bevel-gear |02 with which meshesa bevel-gear |83 fixed to a driving shaft-section |84 journaled in bushings |05, |06 clamped by screws |81,

|88, respectively, in split porti-ons of the respective bearing-blocks 88.

Each bearing-block 98 is formed betweeny the adjacent ends of the bushings |05, |06 with a rectangular opening |88 in which operates a bobbin-case-opener eccentric 0 and its respective follower fork the eccentrics ||0 being fixed to their respective driving shaft-sections |04.

Each follower fork has an upwardly projecting pin-shank H2 journaled in a lever-arm ||3 fulcrumed on a pivot-pin ||4 carried by a respective bearing-block 98. Mounted upon each lever-arm ||3 and adjustable circularly of the axis of each pivot-pin ||4 is a respective one of the opener-fingers 85, 83. Each openerfinger has an offset base-portion H5, Fig. 22, which is formed with a segmental slot ||6 concentric with the pivot-pin ||4 and entered by a holding screw ||1 for purposes of adjustment. The pockets or apertures |08 in the bearingblocks 88 are closed at their tops by coverplates ||8 secured to the respective lever-arms ||3 by screws ||8, Fig. `14. These cover-plates ||8 prevent splashing of oil out of the pockets |09 by the cam-and-fork devices ||0, which dip below the oil-level o in the work-supporting arm 3. The gears |02, |83 are enclosed by coverscreens |28 which keep out lint and prevent oil splashed by the gears from fouling the feed-dog and loop-takers.

Journaled in the sleeves |2|, Fig. 8, clamped in the split bearing-blocks |22 mounted within the work-supporting arm 3, are the driving .shaft-sections |23 which are out of line with and are more widely spaced apart than the driving shaft-sections |04 above described. Each driving 'shaft-section |23 carries a bevel pinion |24 meshing with a respective one of the driving gears 54, 55 on the shaft 50. The gear ratios are so chosen as to effect two complete rotations of each loop-taker 13 for one complete rotation of the shafts 8 and 50. Y

Each shaft-section |23 is connected with a respective one of the shaft-sections |84 by means of an inclined intermediate shaft-section |25 having universal joint connections |26 at its opposite ends. Each universal joint connection |26, Figs. 1l, 12 and 13, comprises a ball |21 on the end of the inclined shaft-section which is received in a hole |28 in a head 28 on an adjacent driving shaft-section. The head |29 has a longitudinal slot |30 in its side wall entered by a screw-pin |3| projecting from the ball |21 at right angles to the shaft-section |25.

An oil level o is maintained invalid throughout the entire length of the arm 3 even with the olllevel screw |32, Fig. 6. This-oil-level is suii'icientlyhigh to eiect thorough splash lubrication of all working parts of the stitch-forrning and feeding mechanisms within the work-supporting arm. f

A transverse oil-baiile is mounted within the arm 3 to prevent the oil-splash in the forward end of the arm 3 from fouling the feed-dog 62, the loop-takers 13 and lower thread-masses or bobbins |33 in the bobbin-cases 80, 88. lThis oilbaille comprises spaced vertical sheet-metal plates |34 which are secured -to the lower face of the thickened portion 59, Fig. 6, of the coverplate 58. A layer of felt packing |35 is conned between the plates |34 and engages the side-Walls of the arm 3, Fig. 16, the top-faces of the bearing blocks 88, and is centrally slotted at |36, to straddle the four-motion feed-bar 63.

A belt-guard or housing |31, Figs. 1 and 5, en-

closes the belt 52 and pulleys I0, 5| externally of the gooseneck 4, 5 and U-bed I, 2, 3. The beltguard is apertured at |38 to t upon and be secured to the heads of the bushings I4 and 53. The belt-guard |31 includes a removable sidecover |39 giving access to the belt 52 and pulleys I0, 5|.

The work-supporting arm 3 is closedat its top alongside the throat-plate 6| by cover-plates |40, Fig. 3, swingable outwardly about the respective pivot-screws |4| for access to the respective hook and bobbin-case mechanisms.

The throat-plate 6| is formed between the needle-holes |50 with a depending post |5|, Fig. 4, grooved at |52 alongside the respective needlepaths. The post |5| assists in bowing the needleloops outwardly into the paths of their respective hook-beaks 15.

Mounted on the rearward vertical end wall 60 of the Work-supporting arm 3 is a thread-cutter comprising a base-block |42 secured by screws |43 to the end wall 60. A clamping plate |44 is secured by screws |45 to the base-block |42. The block |42 and plate |44 are formed at their upper edges with registering grooves |46 extending in a direction parallel to the direction of seam-formation. A thin steel double-edged blade-|41 of commercially known construction may be clamped between the plate |44 and block |42 with one of its razor-sharp edges |48 crossing the grooves |46 and protected by the upper ends of the guard-teeth |49 between the grooves |46. The lower sharp edge y|48 of the blade |41 is clamped under and completely covered and protected by the plate |44, as shown in Fig. 10. A thread-cutter of this nature on the free end of the work-supporting arm of a feed-oif-arm sewing machine enables the sewing threads to be cut close to the end of the seam in a work-piece by the simpledown-motion of the work-piece after it has passed beyond the free end of the arm 3. Inasmuch as the present combination and arrangement of parts of the hook, bobbin case and Opener mechanisms enables the work-supporting arm to be terminated closely in rear of the sewing point, it follows that the thread-cutter |41 may be located relatively close to the needles 25, so that thread-waste incident to excessively long beginning thread-ends is avoided. The present thread-cutter operates automatically and advantageously to cut the bobbin-thread in case of needle-thread breakage, thereby avoiding bobbin-thread waste in cases where the operator does not immediately notice the needlethread breakage and stop the machine. The action is as followsz-When the needle-thread breaks, the continuing feed of the work pulls oif bobbin-thread which is in contact with but not bound to the under side of the work. After the last stitch represented by the point of needlethread breakage passes the thread-cutter, the natural down-curvature of the work beyond the thread-cutter carries the free bobbin-thread down into one of the grooves |46 and across the sharp edge |48 which severs the bobbin-thread not far from the point f needle-thread breakage.

The present form of U-bed 2 and 3, is such that various other commercially known goosenecks or bracket-arms may be substituted for that shown herein for producing different known types of seams. This feature facilitates the manufacture of several different types of sewing machines using the same bed.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, both needles should preferably be threaded with left-twist threads as the action of the looptaker mechanisms is favorable to or permits the use of left-twist threads.

The bed-arm is formed with an oil-collecting depression |53, Fig. 5, below the space within the standard 4, which depression is connected by an oil-channel |54 to an oil-well |55 closed by a removable cover |56. The bed-arm is also formed with two threaded holes |51, Figs. 3, 5 and 25, which receive the threaded ends of bolts |58 passing through rubber or felt bushings |59 in the supporting bench or table 60. A layer |6| of felt or rubber is placed between the table top |60 and the arm-bed I. A set-screw |62 is screwed downwardly into the 4exposed upper end of each threaded hole |51 until it impinges upon the upper end of a respective one of the bolts |58 and locks the latter. The pad 6| and bushing |59 cushion the bed upon the table top |60 andV deaden vibration and noise while the machine is in operation.

The invention is not to be understood as limited to the details of construction and arrangements of parts shown and described as a preferred embodiment of the invention, as various modifications may obviously be made by those skilled in the art within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what I claim herein isz- 1. A sewing machine comprising a frame having a 'bed formed with a. forwardly extending arm, a laterally extending arm carried by said for-l wardly extending arm, a rearwardly extending work-supporting arm carried by and substantially coplanar with said laterally extending arm, a gooseneck rising from the rearward end of said forwardly extending arm and terminating at its free end in a head overhanging the free end' of said .work-supporting arm, a shaft journaled horizontally in said gooseneck, a reciprocatory needle connected to be driven by said shaft, a second shaft journaled in said laterally extending arm in parallelism with said ilrst mentioned shaft, an operative connection between said shafts, and loop-taking and feeding mechanisms in said work-supporting arm connected to be driven by said second shaft.

2. A sewing machine having a frame including a hollow work-supporting arm having a free end, a pair of loop-takers journaled in the free end of said arm, a pair of loop-taker driving shaft sections journaled in said arm in side-by-side relation, a second pair of loop-taker driving shaft sections journaled in said arm in more widely spaced side-by-side relation than said rst mentioned pair, a pair of inclined connecting shaft sections having universal joint connections with the shaft sections of said first and second mentioned pairs, a feed-bar disposed between said pairs of shaft sections, a drive-shaft, spaced driving elements on said shaft connected to said more widely spaced shaft-sections, and feedactuating means on said shaft between said spaced driving elements connected to actuate said feed-bar.

3. The combination with a sewing machine frame having a' bed formed with a forwardly extending arm, a laterally extending arm carried by said forwardly extending arm, a rearwardly extending work-supporting arm carried by and substantially coplanar with said laterally extending arm, a gooseneck rising from the rearward end of said forwardly extending arm and terminating at its free end in a head overhanging the free end of said work-supporting arm, of a rotary shaft journaled in said laterally extending arm, feed-lift and feed-advancing elements carried by said shaft, a feed-bar fulcrumed be.- tween its ends in said work-supporting arm and having at one end rigidly related horizontally and vertically slotted portions respectively embracing said feed-lift and feed-advance elements, and a feed-dog carried by the other end of said feedbar.

4. A sewing machine comprising a frame having a bed formed with a forwardly extending arm, a laterally extending varm carried by said forwardly extending arm, a rearwardly extending work-supporting arm carried by and substantially coplanar with said laterally extending arm, a shaft journaled in and lengthwise of said laterally extending arm, a driving gear carried by said shaft, a driven shaft j ournaled in and lengthwise of said work-supporting arm, a driven gear on said driven shaft meshing with said driving gear, a. loop-taker and loop-taker shaft journaled in and adjustable transversely of said worksupporting arm, and a universal joint connection between said driven shaft and said loop-taker shaft. g

5. In a sewing machine, a frame including a gooseneck and a free ended horizontally disposed trough-like work-supporting arm, stitch-forming and work-feeding mechanisms incorporated in said frame and including areciprocatory needle carried by said gooseneck, a loop-taker and feeddog within the free end of the work-supporting arm, a feed-bar carrying said feed-dog and extending within and longitudinally of said worksupporting arm, said work-supporting arm being adapted to hold oil ata level high enough to splash lubricate said actuatingmechanism, and means embracing said feed-bar to shield the loop-taker and feed-dog from'the oil-splash in said arm.

6. A sewing machine for stitching tubular work having a frame including a hollow horizontal i free-ended work-supporting arm, stitch-forming mechanism incorporated in said frame and including a. reciprocatory needle and a vertical axis loop-taker mounted in the free end -of said work-supporting arm, a loop-taker` driving shaft disposed within and extending lengthwise of said work-supporting arm, an elongated feed-bar disposed within said worksupporting arm with its longest dimension extending lengthwise of said arm, driving means for said loop-taker shaft and said feed-bar, and an oil baie disposed within and extending transversely of said work-supporting arm between the loop-taker and said driving means.

7. A sewing machine having a frame including a hollow horizontal free-ended work-supporting arm'having a removable cover-plate, stitch-forming mechanism incorporated in said frame and including a reciprocatory needle and a vertical axis loop-taker mounted in the free end of said work-supporting arm, a loop-taker driving shaft disposed within and lengthwise of said work-supporting arm, a feed-bar disposed within and lengthwise of said work-supporting arm, driv- V ing means for said loop-taker shaft and said feed-bar, and an oil bale mounted on the under side of said cover-plate and disposed within and extending transversely of said work-supporting arm between the loop-taker and said driving means, said baiiie being slotted to straddle and closely embrace said feed-bar.

8. A sewing machine having a frame including a, free-ended work-supporting arm, stitch-forming mechanism incorporated in said frame and including a vertical axis rotary hook in the free end of said work-supporting arm, a bearing block detachably mounted in said work-supporting arm and having an open topped cut-out portion, said rotary hook being journaled in said bearing block, a rotary hook driving shaft journaled in said bearing block and passing through said cut-'out portion, a bobbin-case journaled in said rotary hook, means for restraining rotation of said bobbin-case with said hook, and bobbin-case opener mechanism carried by said bearing block and including an actuating element mounted on said shaft in said cut-out portion and an opener lever having a fork extending downwardly into said cut-out portion and embracing said actuating element.

9. A sewing machine having a frame. including a gooseneck and a bed, a reciprocatory needle mounted in said gooseneck, a loop-taker, a ve-rtical shaft carrying said loop-taker, a loop-taker carrier detachably mounted in said bed and formed with an aperture concentric with said vertical shaft, a ball-bearing carrier bushing mounted in said aperture and having between its upper and lower ends an inwardly extending annular ledge, a pair of ball-bearings for said vertical shaft disposed in said bushing and seated against said ledge, and a set-screw in said carrier engaging the outer side of said bushing at the level of said ledge.

10. In a sewing machine, a pair of vertically reciprocatory needles, a pair of vertical axis rotary hooks cooperating with said needles, bobbincases journaled in said hooks, means for restraining rotation of said bobbin-cases with said hooks, and a pair of bobbin-case openers positioned to engage said bobbin-cases on the loop cast-on and loop cast-olf sides thereof, respectively, to provide thread-loop passages through the respective rotation-restraining means,

11. In a feed-off-arm sewing machine, the combination with a frame including a work-supporting arm having a free end and feeding mechanism arranged to feed the work along said arm and toward said free yend, of stitch-forming mechanism including a pair of needles arranged abreast relative to the direction of seam-formation, a pair of vertical axis rotary hooks journaled within the free end of said work-supporting arm, means for driving said hooks, a pair of bobbin-cases journaled in said hooks, means for restraining rotation of said bobbin-casles with said hooks, and a pair of bobbin-case openers arranged side-by-side in said work-supporting arm and adapted to engage said bobbin-cases at the- Cil work-supporting arm to provide thread-loop passages through the respective rotation-restaining means.

' 12. In a feed-ofE-arm sewing .machina the combination with a frame including a work-supporting arm having a free end and feeding mechanism arranged to feed the work along said arm. and toward said free end, of stitch-forming mechanism including a pair of needles varranged abreast relative to the direction of seam-formation, a pair of vertical axis rotary hooks journaled within the free end of said work-supporting arm, means for driving said hooks in the same direction, a pair of bobbin-cases journaled in said hooks, one of said bobbin-cases being formed with a, rotation-restraining tongue and the other with a rotation-restraining notch, a plate having at one side of the stitching zone a notch loosely receiving the tongue of one bobbin-case and at the other side of the stitching zone a tongue loosely entering the notch of the other bobbincase, and a pair of oscillatory openers arranged in front of said hooks remote from the free end of the Work-supporting arm and adapted to momentarily shift the respective bobbin-cases in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of said hooks to open passageways for the respective needle-loops through the rotation-restraining tongue-and-notch devices.

13. A sewing machine comprising a frame having a bed formed with a forwardly extending arm, a laterally extending arm carried by said forwardly extending arm, a rearwardly extending work-supporting arm carried by and substantially coplanar with said laterally extending arm, a gooseneck rising from the rearward end of said forwardly extending arm and terminating at its free end in a head overhanging the free end of said work-supporting arm, a shaft journaled horizontally in said gooseneck, a reciprocatory needle connected to be driven by said shaft, a second shaft journaled in said laterally extending arm, an operative connection between said shafts, and loop-taking and feeding mechanisms in said work-supporting arm connected to be driven by said second shaft.

14. A sewing machine having a frame including a gooseneck and a hollow trough-like bed, a reciprocatory needle carried by said gooseneck,

a vertical axis loop-taker disposed in the space Within said trough-like bed, a horizontal looptaker drive-shaft journaled in said bed, operative connections in said bed for actuating said looptaker drive-shaft, a pair of bevel gears connect-l ing said loop-taker drive-shaft to said loop-taker, said bed being adapted to hold oil at a level high enough to touch one of said gears, reticulated means in the space within said trough-like bed for screening said loop-taker from the oil-splash from said gears, and means in said bed for splash-lubricating the operative connections for actuating said loop-taker drive-shaft.

15. A sewing machine having a frame including a gooseneck and a hollow trough-like bed, a reciprocatory needle carried by said gooseneck, a vertical axis loop-taker mounted in the space within said trough-like bed, a horizontal loop-taker drive-shaft journaled in said bed, operative connections in said bed for actuating said loop-taker drive-shaft, a pair of bevel gears connecting said loop-taker drive-shaft to said loop-taker, a carrier for said loop-taker and loop-taker driveshaft detachably mounted in the space within said bed, a reticulated screen secured to said carrier and enclosing said gears, said bed beingl adapted to hold oil at a level high enough td touch one of said gears, and means in said bed for splash-lubricating the operative connections for actuating said loop-taker drive-shaft.

WALTER MYERS. 

